Early on the bright, sunny morning of September 25th, 1978 in the city of San Diego, California, the worst catastrophe in America’s aviation history took place.
A huge airliner with over one hundred and thirty passengers on board was making its approach to the San Diego terminal when suddenly, as it turned to line up with its designated landing strip, it was involved in a collision with a smaller aircraft, demolishing it and hurling its two passengers to their deaths.
The collision disabled the huge airliner. In flames and out of control, it crashed about fifteen seconds later, a short distance from the writer’s home. There was a terrific explosion and fire with the tragic result of “no survivors.” The last communication from the pilot was, “We are going down.”
What a solemn warning to us all! They who were almost to their destination and loved ones were suddenly hurled into eternity. Yes, dear reader, ETERNITY; and where will you spend it?
The writer arrived at the scene a few minutes later, and with his back to those terrible flames, helped the police in controlling the huge crowds. Stunned by the tragic scene, he could only think of all those precious souls perishing in the flaming wreckage of the plane and of those killed in the smashed and burning homes.
How helpless we were! As some one said, “There is not a single thing we can do to help them.” They were beyond rescue, too late for first aid or medical care, and above all too late for spiritual help if they died without knowing the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour.
Well may we ask the question: “If you had been on that plane or in those homes, where would you be now?” Would you have been ready? Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your own personal Saviour? If not, then dear reader, be warned before it is too late! If you die in your sins, you will be forever lost with no hope of being saved.
Had the plane at the last moment turned left rather than right, it could very easily have been the writer and his house that were destroyed instead. But what a difference to be ushered into His presence where there is fullness of joy and to be forever with Him who loved me and gave Himself for me!
Such was the case of a stewardess on board who was saved just two weeks before the crash. What a comfort to her Christian parents living in Holland to know she had accepted the Lord as her Saviour.
Perhaps the Lord in His mercy saw fit to spare us so that you may read and heed this warning if you are not saved at this present moment. Dear reader, let me urge you in all the seriousness that came over me as I worked so close to those terrible flames in the presence of death, to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour before it is too late.
A.E.G.
ML-07/01/1979